DA Family: Saying goodbye
by Tina senpai
Summary: Saying goodbye.


~Saying goodbye~

In the living room...  
"Yeeeeeeeeeeees, I've been broken hearted! Blue since the day we parted. Why, why? Did I ever let you go? Mamma mia, now I really know, my, my, I should not have let you go!" Mandy was singing happily, everyone behind her piping in on the main chorus as the words scrolled across the screen of the game currently in play.  
A normal night in and everyone had decided to break out the karaoke.  
Kat and Alex were sat cuddled up too each other, Alex occasionally kissing the ring upon her wedding finger at the symbol of the union. They'd even held a small ceremony which they'd promised, everyone turning up too watch them repeat their vows and promises of love.  
Red Rose (or as everyone was getting accustomed to calling her 'Jess') and Akabane were sat on the floor, occasionally swapping the pieces of Malteasers the other had and popping them into their mouths.  
Johnn was proudly watching his girlfriend, a large smile on his face that had mirrored hers when she watched him serenade her with his version of, 'kiss from a rose.'  
Abigail and Jamie were in the kitchen, grabbing extra treats and dancing about happily, Jamie twirling her about the place and kissing her whenever he had the opportunity.  
Hana was sitting on the sofa, Hans voluntarily seated on the floor between her legs, letting her play and ruffle his head, almost to the point he was so relaxed, he could have nodded off.  
Yaz had ventured upstairs with her boyfriend Nick to finish off sowing up a costume he'd planned with her (at least that was there excuse).  
And Ripki was busy bouncing on the spot as she sat, Luke allowing her too to play with his hair (except his was longer so she just braided it over and over again).  
"Mamma Mia, now I really know-" Mandy turned to everyone and they knew the cue.  
"My, my, I should not have let you go!" The occupants of the living room (and kitchen) had sung and eventually a loud out roar of laughter, claps and cheers filled the house, Mandy spinning and taking her bow.  
"Thank you, thank you, my adoring audience and," she moved quickly over to Johnn and plonked herself on the seat beside him, "my adoring number one fan."  
"Oh, always. My wonderfully, talented and ever so gorgeous better half." He smirked as she bopped him playfully on the head, before moving down and kissing him sweetly.  
"Oh you two," Abi bent over as she walked back in, leaving Jamie as he accepted a phone call, "you're as sweet and sickly as one of Mandy' best brownies."  
"Which YOU love so much." Mandy pointed out and tapped her on the nose, everybody laughing as Abi swatted away playfully and leant on the back of the sofa.  
"Speaking of which, more snacks!" Ripki held up a now empty bowl, no crumbs for people to know what had happened.  
"Bug! For the last time," Kat pointed out with a bemused smile, "you have to share the chocolates!"  
"I did! I shared them with Luke."  
Everyone turned to the boy who just blushed slightly and looked very guilty.  
"I...I do have a terrible sweet tooth. I'm sorry."  
Again, everyone chuckled, even Hans throwing a soft cushion at Luke as he'd eaten all the best chocolate.  
"Abi," Jamie came up and whispered in her ear, surprising her a little, "come here."  
Abi came back up, wiggling out of the comfortable atmosphere and into the silent corner by the stairs. She looked Jamie over and new something was off.  
"Are you alright love? You look...worried." Abi reached up a hand and cupped his cheek, her eyes full of concern as Jamie couldn't quite look back at her with his own eyes.  
"I...the phone call. It was from my superior. I've...I've been posted."  
Suddenly, any of the noises behind Abi didn't matter any more. She blocked out the joyful noises and looked at Jamie.  
"Oh...yes...I forgot you were...you weren't supposed to stay long. Urm...where about?" Trying to keep it casual, she ignored that terrible feeling inside which seemed to eat at her.  
"I...overseas. Near Asia. I...can't say any more than that, you know, disclosing too much information on location. I'm sorry."  
"How...how long?"  
Jamie looked up at her, his eyes pleading with her as he didn't want to answer.  
"One month? Two months...Jamie," she gritted her teeth to stop herself from hitting the answer out of him, "how long?"  
"...Eighteen months."  
"EIGHTEEN MONTHS?" Abi squealed louder than she thought, everyone beginning to stop their own chatter and turn to where the couple was.  
"Yes...I know, it's long and we need to talk about it but...I have to go."  
Abi just looked at him in disbelief for about five seconds before she turned her head away, unable to continue looking at him. She turned around to the concerned faces' of her sister' and rubbed at her mouth.  
"I...I'm going upstairs." She turned and quickly ran upstairs, Jamie hot on her heel, as was Kat and Mandy. Everyone else had seen the tearful look in her eye and the quiet sob that had escaped her throat.

The next day...  
It had been a whole twenty four four hours since that incident and Jamie was stood outside Abi' room, getting up his courage to go in.  
Abi had refused him entry, Kat and Mandy getting in and finally bringing her out. She plainly told him that she needed time to think and would see him tomorrow.  
Well, tomorrow was today and Jamie had text her to make sure. She'd text back simply, 'I have Tigerlily. You can come. I'll be upstairs.'  
No 'X' which signified a kiss and Jamie new he was in trouble. She always put a 'X' for him.  
Taking a deep breath, he puffed out his chest and knocked on her door.  
Silence for a while before he listened closely to a whispered reply.  
"Come in."  
He slowly opened the door and tip-toed in, not surprised at seeing Abi' bottle feeding Tigerlily who was going to sleep in her arms.  
Abi looked at him, quickly flashing a small, sad smile, before looking back down at Tigerlily.  
Jamie walked in slowly and sat down beside her, watching her care for this little girl.  
Eventually, the bottle came out of Tigerlily' mouth with a pop and they watched her shuffle about before sleep eventually took her and she breathed calmly in Abi' arms.  
"I don't want you to go." Jamie looked up to see her looking at him, her concentration no longer fully dependant on Tigerlily.  
"...I have to." He whispered back and reached out to her face, his thumb and finger stroking her cheek tenderly. Abi revelled in his touch, her eyes shutting at the tingle he was able to send through her at such a simple show of affection.  
"Come with me."  
Her eyes opened again too see him staring at her with great intensity.  
Unable to talk for a while, it was a slight shift from Tigerlily that made her look down.  
She thought of the question.  
'If I were to go, who would babysit her? Who would...who would look after my family and make sure they're happy everyday.'  
Abi couldn't stop the tear that came out, sadness one of her weakness' as she hated thinking about the pessimistic way of goodbyes.  
"Oh Jamie," she turned back up to him and smiled sadly, "you know I can't. My family is here Jamie. I'm not ready to leave them...I couldn't bear it."  
She stood up and walked over to her bed, placing Tigerlily carefully on the pillow and wrapping the babe up. She turned back to Jamie and waited for him to stand up to face her.  
"I...I need you to take this back."  
Feeling like she was about too break into many tiny pieces, she done the hardest thing she could have ever done. She pulled the ring off of her finger and placed it in his hands.  
"No! No," Jamie repeated more quietly, pain obvious in his features, "you...this is yours. I love you. I won't just let you-," he was stopped as she carefully put the tips of her fingers over his mouth and stopped him.  
"You have to. If...if we're meant to be then something will happen. But now...keep a hold of it for me. Keep it safe. For me. For us." Abi' tears fell down her cheeks and she wrapped her arms around Jamie'.  
Both of them held onto each other, Jamie clinging to Abi' in the painful quietness of the room, feeling like something important had just been snapped in two.

The next morning...  
The sisters could only watch quietly as Abi and Jamie came downstairs, Jamie having brought both his bags with him for the last night he was round theirs. Bidding a few fair wells and receiving teary hugs from the younger ones, Abi walked him outside and to his taxi.  
The other huddled together, whispered and hushed conversations going back and forth as they watched what happened outside.  
"I still don't understand why we couldn't have gone to the airport and said goodbye there?" Red Rose looked outside and held onto Akabane' hand tightly.  
"Because Jamie asked us," Kat sighed heavily and didn't want to spy on her sister, her curiosity not helping, "he said he didn't want an emotional farewell as he'd be back."  
Everyone watched quietly as Abi and Jamie hugged, Jamie planting one last precious kiss against her lips, before pulling away and letting go of her hand.  
As he got into the taxi, Abi turned on her heel and walked slowly back up the path, only looking back to let out a small wave as the car pulled off.  
Everyone quickly scuttled back down from the window, seating themselves comfortably in the living room as they heard the door open.  
The sisters and their partners watched quietly as Abi shut the front door, the lock clicking loudly in the silence of the room. She slowly turned around, her blank expression met with all the other rooms occupants concerned faces.  
It was Kat who moved slowly towards her sister, not saying a word as she lay a gentle hand on Abi' shoulder.  
It was the simple touch, the simple show of affection that Abi' wall caved down and her face grimaced as the emotional strain became too much and she gave a loud, choked sob as the tears sprung forth from he eyes.  
"He's gone...he's gone." Abi cried and she wrapped her arms tightly around her sisters shoulder' as Kat enveloped her in a hug.  
Everyone else was up on their feet, gathering together and making enough room for one another as they all hugged tightly, surrounding their sobbing sister in a comfy blanket of love.

That night...  
Mandy had grabbed a tray of hot chocolate, whipped cream and a home made batch of fresh muffins and walked quickly back to Abi' room where everyone was waiting.  
After the emotional moment in the living room, Kat had led Abi upstairs, all the girls grabbing what they could and following after.  
They'd stayed with her, cuddling and comforting her with words as she laid down on her bed, the tears relentlessly coming.  
Eventual, with great exhaustion, her sobs died down and she fell into a deep sleep.  
They'd all grabbed their toys and blankets and pillows, all their men downstairs and preparing food just en case as they tended to their sister. When she eventually woke up, she didn't say a word, small nods and short, hoarse words coming from her lips. They'd stuck on a film, gathered together the food and cuddled up to their sis, letting her now she was safe.  
That just seemed to set her off again and she sobbed anew, her body still not having used up all the water it had.  
Through quiet words of encouragement and gentle pokes, Hana and Ripki cuddled up to their sister and allowed her to sleep peacefully, guaranteeing her that they'd be there when she awoke.  
Everyone else was asleep on the floor around her room and only Mandy, Johnn, Alex and Kat were awake, manning downstairs just encase someone got hungry during the night.

~Mandy and Johnn~  
They sat quietly in the lounge, Mandy' head rested against Johnn' chest as she tried to relax. It was very difficult with the thoughts that played on her mind.  
"Penny?"  
Mandy turned up towards Johnn and gave him a questioning look.  
"For your thoughts." He smiled warmly at her and she knew she had to tell him.  
"I can't let go. I can't forgive Jamie for what he done, either though it's not his fault. But what worries me the most is that...that they loved each other so much and now...now they can't be together. What if-" Mandy didn't have time to finish as Johnn pressed his lips to hers, silencing anything else she said.  
She went along with his moving lips, her heart beating wildly as he sent wave after wave of pleasure through her. Eventually pulling back, he looked at her very seriously.  
"I would never, never leave you. You're too important too me. I love you so much."  
Mandy smiled up at him again and for the moment, just focused on them.  
"I love you too."

~Kat and Alex~  
Kat smiled and sighed happily, nudging Alex next to her and pointing towards the couple in the living room. They both just watched Mandy and Johnn in their own little nest, their arms wrapped around each other as they expressed their love.  
Alex quickly placed his arms around Kat' waist and pulled her against him and into the kitchen.  
"Gives me ideas." He whispered playfully, that cheeky smile of his making her want her husband more and more.  
"Tell me them?" She asked and was rewarded with a slow, smooth kiss and the tightening of his arms around her.  
She pulled back and smiled lazily, looking up at him.  
"I'm so lucky."  
Alex chuckled at her and kissed her on the forehead, his back pressed against the counter as he scooched down and held her.  
"No. I am. There was a time when I thought we couldn't be together remember?"  
Kat frowned and shook her head.  
"What if...what if you hadn't of converted? What if you couldn't...or wouldn't?"  
Alex pulled his head back and looked at her.  
"Kitten...for you I would have dropped the cloth all together and left the church, even if you had never been interested in me," he stroked his fingers up and down her back lovingly, "I loved you then as I do now."  
Kat smiled again and pulled herself against his chest, delighting in the familiar beat of his heart that matched hers.  
"I love you, Alexander Anderson."


End file.
